Are Aluminium radiators worth the extra?

[bobgroups123]

Hi,

We are modernising a bedroom i.e. changing the wooden flooring adn while doing this want to change radiator - room is a bedroom. Looked on the net and read about Aluminium radiators being quicker to heat up and more energy efficient as they use less water.

Looking to go for 652 height x 800 wide. Saw one on the internet for £126. Was told it is rated as 1072 watts.


Any views on aluminium radaiators as we are replacing thought of putting aluminium in - main reason more energy efficient and quicker to heat up.


Please advise anyone.


Thanks,
Bob

 

[AJ16]

Its hard to see much advantage particularly for a bedroom unless physical size is a real issue. A Stelrad Softline K2 at 800w x 600h will give you 1386W (4729Btu/hr) for less money. Use less water??!

 

[bobgroups123]

Its hard to see much advantage particularly for a bedroom unless physical size is a real issue. A Stelrad Softline K2 at 800w x 600h will give you 1386W (4729Btu/hr) for less money. Use less water??!

thanks that will be useful to compare. can you advise how I best work out the min btu i can go for in a rad. The basic need is a smaller rad as exiting was 600 x 1300 and room is not very cold - no ext walls or windows as it's a ground floor bedroom.

If I am working out BTU correctly it is 1231 watts/420 BTU. Room is 3.2m x 4.11m x 3.35 m high. Have i got this right if no ext windows. In Web site i used had to add 1 window. (main adv I think of aluminium is possibly it heats up quicker, wont rust) Thanks.

 

[AJ16]

Try the Stelrad website, I think they have a calculator there

 

[TBServices]

If you're using aluminium rads you will have to empty the system of all old chemicals to be on the safe side and make sure you use a quality inhibitor rated for ally when you fill back up.

 

[petercj]

If you're using aluminium rads you will have to empty the system of all old chemicals to be on the safe side and make sure you use a quality inhibitor rated for ally when you fill back up.

Aluminium heats up quickly, but it also loses heat quickly. By contrast, cast iron takes considerably longer to heat up, but retains heat longer. Steel falls somewhere between the two.

Aluminium radiators will transfer heat more quickly into the room than the other two, which should see the boiler switching off earlier, but then although the boiler may run a minute or two longer with steel, the slower transfer of heat will probably mean that the boiler cuts in later than with the aluminium radiators. So I would think your net gain will be negligible.

Aluminium does corode, although it should produce less debris, such as magnetite. But then aluminium radiators will be more susceptible to damage if knocked or something is dropped on them.

Because of the rapid heat transfer you might also find that aluminium radiators are more of a risk to very young children.

If you put them in any kind of enclosure for safety reasons, then any benefit is going to be lost by the heat being absorbed by the enclosure.